This invention relates generally to optical networks and, particularly, to wavelength division multiplexed networks.
In wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) optical networks, several signals are transmitted at different wavelengths over a single fiber. In a variety of circumstances, various wavelengths may be added to an existing network along the way or removed from the network along the way. As a result, conflicts may arise where several channels of the same wavelength are delivered to the same network node and must be sent along the same fiber.
To overcome these conflicts, one signal of the duplicate wavelengths needs to be converted to a different wavelength. Existing wavelength converters operate as standalone devices, converting a signal from one incoming channel to a signal of a different wavelength in one outgoing channel. An intricate management of the network is needed to multiplex the signals and to avoid channel conflicts in subsequent nodes.
Thus, there is a need for better ways to handle the issue of wavelength conflicts in optical networks.